1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a feeding device. More particularly, this invention relates to a feeding device with a linkage mechanism for supporting media and a recovery device for returning to its original position.
2. Description of Prior Art
FIG. 1A is a plan view showing a feeding structure P0 according to the prior art. The feeding structure P0 comprises a holding pressure pallet 101 pivoted on a pivot shaft 102, a pick feed roller 104 and a deskewer 105. The pallet 101 is used to support a full load of media 103 such as sheet of paper. The roller 104 is provided with a scrubbing surface 104A to transmit the media 103 to a printing device (not shown), and the deskewer 105 is used to deskew the media 103 located on the pallet 101. Symbol xe2x80x9cC1xe2x80x9d represents the point of the roller 104 contacting the top sheet of media 103, and Symbol xe2x80x9ca1xe2x80x9d represents the distance measured between the point C1 and the deskewer 105.
FIG. 1B is a plan view showing another deployment of feeding structure P0 according to FIG. 1A, in which a half load of media 103 remains. Symbol xe2x80x9cC2xe2x80x9d represents the point of the roller 104 contacting the top sheet of media 103, and Symbol xe2x80x9ca2xe2x80x9d represents the distance measured between the point C2 and the deskewer 105.
FIG. 1C is a plan view showing another deployment of the feeding structure P0 according to FIG. 1A, in which only a few sheets of media 103 remain. Symbol xe2x80x9cC3xe2x80x9d represents the point of the roller 104 contacting the top one of the media 103, and Symbol xe2x80x9ca3xe2x80x9d represents the distance measured between the point C3 and the deskewer 105.
In comparison with FIG. 1A, 1B and 1C, the distance (a1, a2, a3) between the contacting point (C1, C2, C3) of the feeding structure P0 is gradually decreased while the media 103 located on the pallet 101 are gradually removed by the roller 104. That is to say, the relationship among the distances a1, a2, a3 is a1 greater than a2 greater than a3.
The media 103 cannot be smoothly removed by the scrubbing surface 104A of the roller 104 when the distance between the contacting point and the deskewer 105 is reduced, which also causes other problems such as paper jamming, sticking, and distorting during the feeding process. Although the above problems can be solved by enlarging the size of the roller 104 or the distance between the pivot shaft 102 and the roller 104, the total volume and production costs of the feeding structure P0 are increased commensurately.
The primary object of this invention is to provide a feeding structure for transmitting media to a printing device. The feeding device has a substrate, a linkage mechanism, a deskewer, a recovery device and a scrubber. The linkage mechanism is disposed on the substrate and has a pallet used to support the media and move between an initial site and a predetermined site in parallel. The deskewer is used for deskewing the media located on the pallet and the recovery device is disposed on the linkage mechanism, and the scrubber for feeding the media located on the pallet toward the printing device.
Once the media is placed between the pallet and the scrubber or gradually delivered to the printing device by the scrubber, the pallet of the linkage mechanism can be downwardly or upwardly shifted in parallel by the compressed recovery device.